


Look Up

by abrandnewheart



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Beach, Fireworks, First Dates, M/M, Seaside, beach au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:42:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25904527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abrandnewheart/pseuds/abrandnewheart
Summary: The town’s main summer draw is here again: a festival on the beachfront, barbecues on the sand and a fireworks display in the evening, when the sun sets beyond miles of ocean.It’s Atsumu’s favourite day of the year.
Relationships: Miya Atsumu/Sakusa Kiyoomi, Miya Osamu/Suna Rintarou (Mentioned)
Comments: 26
Kudos: 189





	Look Up

**Author's Note:**

> Major thanks to [Rachel](https://twitter.com/Ceryna_writes) for beta-reading!

Humid days for weeks on end, the sun so bright it scorches the grass and a massive influx of tourists into the town they call home. Summer is here. 

It’s not so bad, though. Summer means Tourist Season, and the money the tourists bring to the town is what keeps the whole town going through the winter. Still, it’s hard to be enthusiastic when it means twelve-hour shifts and starting work at six in the morning. 

Today is one of those rare days where Atsumu doesn’t have to spend all of his time at the bed-and-breakfast. The morning, sure, because they _are_ fully booked and he _does_ have to help Samu with the breakfast prep, but the afternoon? No, he gets a single, glorious evening off.

The town’s main summer draw is here again: a festival on the beachfront, barbecues on the sand and a fireworks display in the evening, when the sun sets beyond miles of ocean.

It’s Atsumu’s favourite day of the year, and it’s his turn to get to take part, instead of running one of the many, many food stalls with his parents. Samu’s gotten stuck with that this time. Atsumu almost feels sorry for him when he sees how disappointed Suna is that Samu is working, but it’s only _almost._

He’s chipper all the way through the breakfast service. He doesn’t falter even when an old lady gets him to go back and tell Samu that he’s making her scrambled eggs wrong three times, or when he’s told off by some kind of instagram influencer couple for bringing regular milk to the table when he ‘should have known’ to bring a plant-based alternative without being told to, or when a kid spills orange juice all over his apron.

Nothing can spoil his good mood. Nothing. 

At least until the breakfast service is over, Suna comes over for some godforsaken reason that doesn’t need to be thought about, and Samu takes that as his cue to say, “So you’re _really_ doing this whole thing on your own, then? Don’tcha think watching the fireworks on your own is kinda lame?”

“I never said I was going on my own.” The words come out before Atsumu can stop them, but he does a very good job at staring Samu down, daring him to question it. 

Samu doesn’t question it, but Suna does. “You mean you finally got someone to look past all your flaws? Aww.” 

“Oh, fuck off.” 

“That means no, then?” Atsumu wants to wipe the smug little look off of Suna’s face, but without anything solid to fall back on, he is stuck. 

That doesn’t stop him from running his mouth again anyway, and saying, “I’m asking someone _today_. So.” 

“Oh my god. You finally grew a pair.” Samu’s voice is incredulous. “Sakusa? He’s gonna say no, and it’s gonna be hilarious, but I’m so _proud—_ ”

Atsumu takes that as his cue to leave, turning sharply on his heel, throwing his apron at Samu’s stupid face, and storming out of the dining room as Samu and Suna laugh. He doesn’t quite slam the door behind him, but it isn’t far off. 

The sun is high in the sky. The tarmac of their parking lot sticks to the soles of his shoes. He sees the air going wavy around cars in the distance. But there is a breeze, a salty ocean air that rolls over him, and shade underneath the parasols along the beachfront. The promise of respite.

His feet lead him all the way down the boardwalk to where Sakusa will inevitably be. Or so he thinks; he tries his best not to stare too intently through the windows of the cosy little trinket store. The Sakusas have been running this place for at least as long as the Miyas have had a hotel, but their son—he’s the one holding the place together. He’s taken it from a place for tourists to pick up cheap knick-knacks to a gallery of local artists. Sure, there are still knick-knacks, but they’re more upmarket and genuinely supporting locals. 

Atsumu busies himself by looking at the glasswork in the window, but he cannot stay there forever. He shoves his hands in the pockets of his shorts, catches a glimpse of his reflection in the window and then pulls his shoulders back. Better. 

A little bell rings as he pushes the door open. It tinkles, high and airy. Sakusa looks up from where he sits at the register-slash-workstation and Atsumu feels as though he’s on display.

“Miya.” 

Atsumu can never tell if Sakusa is happy to see anyone. Partially it’s because of the mask—it makes it hard to read his true expression—but it’s also because of the deadpan tone of voice he seems to use so often. And the fact he’s the only person who calls him _Miya._

“What do you want?”

“You could at least pretend to be happy to see me, Omi-Omi!” Atsumu clutches a hand to his chest as he paces over to the glass counter. He feigns interest in the jewellery contained within it, and he observes Sakusa's long fingers string beads. He knows that jewellery is Sakusa’s speciality, though he never really understood the appeal of such fiddly, intricate work. “What’re you working on?” 

“What do you want?” Sakusa repeats, and this time he at least quirks an eyebrow for effect. “You never come over just for chit-chat.” 

“Okay, okay, you caught me.” Atsumu takes a deep breath as he considers how to tackle this. He’s been a pain in Sakusa’s side for as long as he can remember—the perks, he supposes, of growing up in the same small town. But it’s only recently he’s decided he might like to be a pain in Sakusa’s side for a lot longer. “You doing anything tonight?” 

“It’s the fireworks tonight.” Sakusa says it as though Atsumu is stupid, and Atsumu pulls a face. 

“I know that. Just wondered if you wanted to watch with me if you didn’t have plans.” 

Sakusa stares at him, openly, and Atsumu does his best to stare back. 

“Do you mean like—” Sakusa pauses, furrowing his eyebrows. “—a date?”

“Doesn’t have to be,” Atsumu answers, and he feels an unfamiliar heat crawl up his neck and up into his ears. “Whatever you want.” 

Sakusa nods. “Okay. Okay then.” A pause. “I’ll meet you by the pier then? Seven?” 

“Seven works for me,” Atsumu breathes a sigh of relief. “See you then, Omi! I’ll get outta your hair now.”

Atsumu can see the mask on Sakusa’s face shift, just a little. Atsumu decides that means Sakusa is smiling. Atsumu smiles as he leaves, waving over his shoulder.

Nothing can spoil his good mood. Nothing. 

It’s only as he steps back into the bed-and-breakfast and gets asked if he finally grew a pair that he realises the terrible truth: he had not clarified if it was actually a date. 

Seven rolls around faster than Atsumu expects. Once again he is begged to swap and cover the stand this year, and once again he refuses. He changes outfits three times. He debates having a beer for some liquid courage. He doesn't. 

Instead, he forces his shoulders back, his lungs to take a deep breath and the corners of his mouth upwards into a smile. Sakusa is waiting for him, though, and that turns a forced smile into something far more authentic. 

He waves, and Sakusa nods to show he’s seen him. 

“You eaten yet?” Atsumu asks once he’s made it to Sakusa’s side. 

“No. Do you know anywhere good?” 

Normally, Atsumu would admit that the stuff his brother makes is pretty good. Normally, he’d stop by and get snacks from the family stall. 

But this isn’t a normal year, so Atsumu shrugs. “Nah. Let’s just see what looks good.”

They wander, ducking around locals and tourists alike. The streets and stalls are lit by brightly coloured lanterns and fairy lights. There’s a buzz about the place unlike anything else or any other time of year; the chatter surrounds them, the smells of the food stalls mingle with ocean salt, the heat is intensified by everyone around. 

Atsumu loves it. 

He can feel Sakusa’s fingers find the hem of his shirt, and when he turns his head to question it, Sakusa just mumbles, “Don’t want to get split up.”

They consider their options and end up snacking the whole way around the place, splitting food between them. Takoyaki, ikayaki, nikumaki onigiri, grilled corn with lashings of miso butter which ends up all over Atsumu’s face. Candy floss and anmaki for a sweet finish. 

Maybe he’s not supposed to, but Atsumu quite likes that the presence of food means that he gets to see Sakusa’s mouth. It’s almost definitely because he just so rarely gets to see it otherwise, but he finds himself staring at the way pinkened lips move as Sakusa bites into whatever snack Atsumu has thrust upon him. 

“C’mon,” Atsumu says once he’s had his fill, pointing out towards the beach proper. “Let’s go for a walk. Away from the crowd.” Sakusa nods, pulling his mask back up over his nose and mouth. 

They wander the length of the beach as night envelops the shore. The buzz of the crowd fades underneath the sound of the waves, and the sand crunches under their feet.

“Do you wanna go back up there to watch the fireworks?” Atsumu asks. There isn’t long left before the show starts, but if they go quickly, they could make it back in time to watch with everyone else. 

“Can we stay here?” Sakusa looks as though he’s nervous to ask. Most people watch from the other end of the beach, but Atsumu doesn’t really mind. Everyone’s going to have to look up all the same, no matter where they watch from. 

“We can stay here.” He flashes a smile. “No sweat.”

“Thank you.” Sakusa pulls his mask back down, and Atsumu raises an eyebrow. This is a show of trust, maybe. A sign. 

Atsumu still doesn’t know if it’s a date, and he doesn’t know if he should feel terrible for wanting to lean over and plant a kiss on lips which are all too often pulled into a tight frown. 

He does his best not to think about it as they wait for the show to start. He fills the silence with chatter—all kinds of gossip from around the town, pointing out the few constellations he can reliably recognise and anything else that comes to mind. Sakusa hums and nods in all the right places, and even responds with a couple of fun facts about the ocean. 

The bang of the first firework takes them by surprise, but they both look up in time to see a cascade of golden sparkles. Dozens of bangs echo across the bay, and dozens of colours light up the sky. 

Atsumu risks another look to his side. He watches as Sakusa’s eyes reflect pink and green and gold lights, and he is struck by just how _pretty_ Sakusa is. 

Sakusa is entranced by what is happening above. Atsumu is entranced by what’s right beside him.

He doesn’t know how long he stares, but it’s long enough for Sakusa to catch his eye. Atsumu pulls his gaze away and looks back up to the sky. 

He doesn’t know how long it is, but he feels a knock against his hand. Softly enough that it could have been an accident, but he looks and sees Sakusa looking back at him, watching him. Atsumu holds Sakusa’s gaze for several seconds, then nods.

Sakusa tries again. Slowly. Carefully. 

Atsumu smiles as long fingers wrap around his own. 

He does not get a kiss that night—and he might not for many, many nights—but this might be just as good. 

He thinks maybe this was a date, after all. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading if you got to this point! I'm going to try and do this kind of thing more often; shorter pieces in-between the ones which take up a bit more energy and time. 
> 
> You can follow me on twitter at [@abrandnewheart](https://twitter.com/abrandnewheart) if you'd like to keep up with my work (and see twitter fics, little drabbles and more) and get previews! 
> 
> I'd love to know what you liked about this piece - it's a bit of a departure from my usual thing!


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